Gulf War illness / chronic multisymptom Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee condition and jaw disability had their onset during service, granting service connection for these conditions.,However, there is no evidence of a left elbow disability in service or since service. The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a left elbow disability.

The Veteran's appeal for reimbursement of unauthorized private medical expenses is denied as the VA did not provide prior authorization and he had private health insurance covering his treatment.

The Veteran's service-connected undiagnosed illness manifested by fatigue has not resulted in periods of incapacitation or symptoms requiring continuous medications for control.,The Veteran's service-connected undiagnosed illness manifested by headaches does not result in characteristic prostrating attacks.

The Veteran's tinnitus was not present in service or until many years thereafter and is not etiologically related to service.,The Veteran's current skin conditions were not present in service or until many years thereafter and are not etiologically related to service.

The Veteran's undiagnosed illness, rated as fibromyalgia, is currently evaluated at 40 percent and has been granted.

The Veteran's appeal has been remanded due to the need for additional medical records and further examination. The issues of service connection for an undiagnosed illness and an acquired psychiatric disorder are pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied as his conditions are not related to his military service or due to exposure to Gulf War Syndrome. His current disabilities, such as obesity and hypertension, do not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of current disabilities or a link to service.

The Veteran's undiagnosed illness involving neurological signs and symptoms of the bilateral lower extremities is presumed to be related to service. His skin condition is not considered a presumptive illness.

The Veteran's IBS is granted as a presumptive disability due to his service in the Southwest Asia Theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War. His GERD, acid reflux or hiatal hernia claim is denied.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for an undiagnosed illness (involving joints) and granted it. The low back disorder is also considered, but no rating assigned as there was no final denial of this issue.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding that none met the criteria for disability or were related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining her service records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current skin disorder. The AOJ will also continue efforts to locate her service records until it is reasonably certain that such records do not exist or that further efforts would be futile.

The Board found that the Veteran's osteoarthritis of the hips, shoulders, and knees did not have a nexus to his active service. The evidence does not establish a relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected post-traumatic arthritis of the knees, undiagnosed illness characterized by fatigue, sleep disturbance and memory loss, hiatal hernia with esophageal reflux, and muscle contraction headaches are all rated at their respective disability levels. The increased ratings for the knee conditions and the hiatal hernia have been granted.

The Board has remanded the claim for development of additional evidence, including obtaining records of treatment at a local emergency department and Boise VAMC. The Veteran is to have a new VA examination to determine current manifestations of his digestive system disorder.

The Veteran's Bell's palsy is found to have arisen within one year of his release from active duty, and thus service connection for residuals of Bell's palsy is granted. The claim for an undiagnosed illness as a result of Southwest Asia Theater of Operations service remains pending.

The Veteran's chronic fatigue syndrome was not incurred in or aggravated by active service.,The Veteran does not have a diagnosed disability of the urinary tract that is due to an undiagnosed illness or other medically unexplained chronic multi symptom illness.,The Veteran does not have objectively exhibited signs or symptoms of unspecified joint pain as a manifestation of an undiagnosed illness or a medically unexplained chronic multi symptom illness.,The Veteran's GERD was not incurred in or aggravated by active service.,The Veteran does not have objectively exhibited signs or symptoms of numbness and tingling of the right lower extremity, left lower extremity, or right upper extremity as a manifestation of an undiagnosed illness, a medically unexplained chronic multi symptom illness, or that are otherwise attributable to service.